My hoof trimmer came today to work on Baasha's feet, mostly just making corrections and additions to what I've been doing.
Before she showed up I had to go way out to pasture to catch one of them to bring them in. I decided to halter Bellis cuz she was closer. She came along but then started to doubt my intentions and started balking. I eventually got her all the way to the barn but when I tried to shut her in the stall, she barged right through me. She knows her strength and size, and she knows mine, and she knows she'll win, and what can I possibly do about a charging donkey? (Tell me if you have ideas. I'm thinking fireworks?)
I was at a loss, and my husband had just arrived with a bunch of haylage (no hay to be found anymore, we've been forced to feed stinking disgusting haylage lately, what I said I'd never do!). I had Bellis on the lead line, I had laid some fresh haylage in the stall, but Bellis knew something was up. The hoof lady was standing right there at the gate and I was sweating buckets cuz it's disgustingly humid (88%) and HOT. I knew I couldn't drag Bellis into the stall (after trying) but I needed to get her out of the way, but contained so Baasha wouldn't flip out. I was about to just give up.
As the hoof lady admired my new equine, I took a towel to my face and said to my man, "I don't know what to do, I cannot get her into the stall cuz she knows something is up." My man said, "*I* can get her in the stall!" I handed him the lead rope, "OH please try!" I thought this would be funny. Then I realized that with two of us, we could do it.
Bellis hates loud noises. Big ears. So as he tugged on her halter, I stepped up and clapped my hands. Just like trailer loading (!!) she walked into the stall. My man was so happy. I said, "We did it! I think the clapping was the key though." She really hates loud noises.
Poor Bellis knew she'd been had and I doubt that will work again so easily. It will take more than a himalayan salt lick and stinky yummy haylage to get her out of our way next time. My trimmer pet her over the door and rubbed inside her ears, consoling her. Baasha was standing right there with his nose over the door too, and when we had to do "walk outs" (not trot outs, but similar) in the driveway, she brayed once, but Baasha was good for me. He knew she was trapped there so he was not worried. (Note in this photo all the horseshoe marks on our street in front of our house. Carriage horses go by on weekends and they really scratch up the road trotting by.)
I told the trimmer I promised Baasha I would never separate them, more than a few feet. There is really no need to, except for vet/farrier visits, and we can do that. I hope.
Good news: the hoof lady told me that trimming a donkey's hooves is just like trimming a horse's, but we just need to realize they're naturally high heeled. But that's fine if you just pay attention to the sole and trim accordingly. I have a professional coming out soon to do an initial trim (my goodness she's long in the toe after 6 weeks!). Then I'll be able to do it myself, at least, if she's cooperative. She gives me her hooves for cleaning so it should be OK.
Baasha's hooves are beautiful again - she really knows how to get the flares down and make them all pretty. She showed me how to trim the flares so I'll be giving that a shot. She had to do very little, as usual. She just touched up. She showed me his loading sides and his "hoof bone" (coffin bone). She told me to be braver about the left front toe, rolling that even more. I love that she spent a whole hour with me, very gently with Baasha, very enlightened in her approach to horses in general. She has a new car - a Mercedes SUV with her logo on it for her Paddock Paradise Natural Horsemanship barn. They're the ones who have computer chips on the horses that allow them to free-feed in grain/pellet stations, and wander freely all year long around a track. I love that they are so close (but she asked me for 8 euros for gas, can you belive it, they're 10 minutes from here!).
Oh one more thing - tomorrow our hay guy is gonna come make hay on our field. Or, silage, whatever, cuz it's too wet out. I am so excited. I love having hay made. And after it's gone, Bellis and Baasha will have some time on the big pasture again. Happy times ahead! I wish I could stay home from work to watch the haying. Oh well..a job is good too.
(You might recognize these photos in this post from May 2011. When I was unemployed I had a lot more time to take photos, but they are all accurate representations of what is happening here now, including the new purple rhodie blossoms, and the chickadees feeding their young.)
.JPG)
2 comments:
try a stud chain on Bellis. my 17.2 hand Hanoverian knows i'm no match for him at 5'4" and 120 but i can get him to do just about anything with a chain over his nose and the things he won't do i put the chain under his lip and it's game over.
That is so awesome to know that donkeys are trimmed the same as horses! I've been wondering that too. I know the angles are different, but you're right if I follow the sole it should be easy to keep the correct angles.
As for the barging through you, now that you know she will do it, you'll just have to watch carefully for signs that she might try it again and try to head her off before she gets too close to you. Clapping your hands, waving your arms, jumping up and down, anything to make yourself seem big and scary can interrupt a bolt/barge through you. It's all in the timing and catching her soon enough to head her off. She's probably been allowed to get away with it at her old home so it will just take some work to teach her the new rules. Good luck!!
I'm glad Baasha's feet are doing so well. :D
That's weird about the fuel charge. . . I thought they included it in the fee. It's sort of obvious they will be doing a lot of driving in their profession . . . sheesh!
Post a Comment